MEETING THE MAN BEHIND THE BUKHARA BRIYANI WITH SPICE OF INDIA

Assalamualikum WBT and greetings,

1. Last Tuesday, my colleague Halim, bought few boxes of mutton and chicken bukhara briyani rice from the Syed Restaurant in Section 3 Shah Alam for our bosses  lunch.

2. After tasting the rice and the chicken, I and another colleague Jusmine decide to go and check for the food ourselves at the restaurant today, just before the Friday prayer.

3. Without doubt, me and Jusmine truly enjoyed the chicken bukhara briyani, while Halim took the mutton bukhara briyani and indeed it did not disappoint us at all. 

4. For people in Shah Alam, Bangsar and Kuala Lumpur who loves eating briyani, and the "roti canai", or Syed Bistro Restaurant is no stranger and is known for the good and tasty Indian cuisine, which me and my family knew a long a time ago, since my children are still very young.

5. As usual, being kepoci and out of my curiosity I call the cashier to ask about the spices use for the bukhara briyani, without realising there is a man sitting next to our table watching our conversation .

5. Later, to my surprise, we found out that's he was "the man himself", the restaurant "boss" listening to our conversation and must be wondering who is this nossy and busy body lady.

6. We then open a conversation with the "boss" and he told us that there are about 60 spices in India and he send his man there to pick the right spice ingredient to make the special spice for different cooking like bukhara briyani, curry and so on for his restaurants.

7. He Brings in about 30 to 60 kilos of the special mixed spice at one time to serve all his restaurants.

8. Hearing that, I was a bit disappointed because that would mean, if I cook the bukhara briyani, it will never taste the same as what I taste at this Syed Restaurant.

9.Now that I'm at home, I tried to look for the bukhara briyani recipe in the internet but I still think the spice is not the same and not enough. However, I'm going to go ahead cooking the chicken bukhara briyani rice tomorrow inconjunction with the mother's day, a treat for my children, grandchildren and hubby.

10. However, Thank You Mr. Syed for the  short conversation but enlightening on the spice of India, anyway the mutton and chicken briyani rice that "you serve" at your restaurant is yummy. 

11.  I'm happy and honoured that I got the opportunity to talk to Mr.  Syed in person and he looks like a very down to earth guy, though he must be a millionaire already, and this I can judge by the simple but smart dressing and the latest white Jaquar that's he drove.

12. Below is the bukhara mutton briyani rice recipe I found in the internet to try and cook tomorrow. @9 May 2014

The Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups  basmati rice
• 1/4 cup  cooking oil
• 8  whole cloves
• 4  Black Cardamom pods
• 4  cinnamon sticks
• 4 large  onions, sliced ​​thin
• 1 tablespoon  garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon  ginger paste
• 1/4 cup  chopped fresh Cilantro leaves
• 3 tablespoons  chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 pound  lamb chops
• salt to taste

• 3  tomatoes, chopped
• 4  green Chile Peppers, halved lengthwise
• 2 teaspoons  ground red pepper
• 2 tablespoons  plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons  lemon juice
• 7 1/2 cups  water
• 1 teaspoon  salt
• 1 tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 1  onion, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon  saffron
• 2 tablespoons  warm milk

1. Place the basmati rice in a large container and cover with as several inches of cool water; let stand 30 minutes. Drain.
2. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large Skillet over medium hear; Fry the cloves, Cardamom pods, and cinnamon sticks in the hot oil until Fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onions; Stir and cook until the onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir the garlic paste and ginger paste into the onion mixture; cook until the garlic and ginger is Fragrant, about 1 minute more. Sprinkle the Cilantro and mint over the mixture and cook 1 minute more.
3. Add the lamb chops to the Skillet; season with salt. Stir the lamb and cook until the meat begins to brown, about 20 minutes.
4. Stir the tomatoes, green Chile Peppers, and ground red pepper into the mixture; continue cooking until the oil begins to Separate from the gravy, about 10 minutes. Add the yogurt and lemon juice; cover and cook until the lamb is tender, about 15 minutes. Add water as needed to keep the mixture from getting too dry.
5. Bring the rice, 7 1/2 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt to a boiler in a saucepan until the rice is nearly done yet a little Chewy, 10 to 15 minutes; Drain any excess water.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small Skillet; Fry the sliced ​​onion in the hot oil until lightly browned.
7. Layer about half the rice in the bottom of a deep pot with a lid. Spoon the lamb masala over the rice. Spread the fried onion over the lamb masala. Top with the remaining rice. Stir the saffron and warm milk together in a small bowl; pour over the top layer of rice. Cover the pot with the lid and place the pot over low heat; cook until the rice is thoroughly cooked, about 15 minutes